The Trademark of China's Progress

Some observers have speculated for years that Beijing would start taking intellectual property rights seriously once the economy had developed to a point where Chinese companies themselves had valuable intellectual property to protect. That appears to be the case. Witness a set of amendments to the trademark law, approved in August and set to take effect in May, which come as Beijing is eager for domestic firms to move further up the value chain.

The amendments bring Chinese trademark law more closely in line with the...